{
    "term": "chain",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "image": "data/images/je/jewellery_bracelets.png",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a series of connected metal rings, used for pulling or fastening things; a length of chain used for a particular purpose",
            "sensetop": "in chainson a chain",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She wore a heavy gold chain around her neck."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The mayor wore his chain of office."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a bicycle chain"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The prisoners were kept in chains *(= with chains around their arms and legs, to prevent them from escaping)*.",
                    "contextForm": "in chains"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They kept the dog on a chain all day long.",
                    "contextForm": "on a chain"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a short length of chain"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Let the dog off its chain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The prisoner was led away in chains."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Put the chain on the door (= so the door can only be opened a little bit) before you go to bed."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Clothes and Fashion"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["heavy", "thin", "gold"],
                "… of chain": ["length"],
                "verb + chain": ["pull", "pull at", "yank"],
                "chain + verb": ["clank"],
                "chain + noun": ["mail"],
                "preposition": [
                    "in chains",
                    "off somebody’s/​the chain",
                    "on a/​the chain"
                ],
                "phrases": [
                    "a chain of office",
                    "a chain on the door",
                    "a link in the chain"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a series of connected things or people",
            "sensetop": "chain of somebody/something",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "mountain/island chains"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Volunteers formed a **human chain** *(= line of people)* to rescue precious items from the burning house."
                },
                {
                    "text": "to set in motion a **chain of events**",
                    "contextForm": "chain of somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Our suppliers are the weakest **link in the chain**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Volunteers formed a human chain to pass buckets of water to each other."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She was personally involved in this chain of events."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It's important to make sure the chain of communication is not broken."
                },
                {
                    "text": "If any part of the chain of infection is broken, the spread of the disease will be stopped."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the complex chain of events that led to the war"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Middlemen are important links in the chain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There has been an unbroken chain of great violinists in the family."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The people formed a human chain to pass the supplies up the beach."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a chain of volcanic islands"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["long", "complex", "unbroken"],
                "verb + chain": ["break"],
                "chain + noun": ["reaction", "letter"],
                "phrases": ["a chain of command", "a chain of events"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a group of shops or hotels owned by the same company",
            "sensetop": "chain of something",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **supermarket/hotel/retail chain**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a chain of stores/shops/restaurants",
                    "contextForm": "chain of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a chain of department stores"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a chain of clothes shops"
                },
                {
                    "text": "This hotel is part of a large chain."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Shopping"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["big", "large", "major"],
                "chain + noun": ["store"],
                "preposition": ["chain of"],
                "phrases": ["part of a chain"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a thing that limits somebody’s freedom or ability to do something",
            "labels": "(formal or literary)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the chains of fear/misery"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "a situation in which a number of people selling and buying houses must each complete the sale of their house before buying from the next person",
            "labels": "(British English)",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [],
            "topics": ["Houses and homes"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a problem that prevents you from doing what you would like to do",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The responsibility was a ball and chain around my ankle."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "one of the stages in a process or a line of argument",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Food production, processing and marketing are different links in the chain from farmer to consumer."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Death is the last link in the chain."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Opinion and argument"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "the point at which a system or an organization is most likely to fail",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She went straight for the one weak link in the chain of his argument."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Difficulty and failure"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/tʃeɪn/",
                "audio": "ch/chain/chain__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/tʃeɪn/",
                "audio": "ch/chain/chain__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French chaine, chaeine, from Latin catena ‘a chain’."
}